Improvement in steam and air car-brakes



2 Sheets-Shag JOHN W. GARDNER.

Improvement in Air and Steam Car Brakes.

N0. 122,884.' Patentedlan.23,1i872.

fnv-anion 2 Sheets-Sheei 2.

JOHN W'. GARDNER.

Improvement in Air and Steam Car Brakes.

N'O. 122,884,4 Patentedlan.23,1872.

UNITED STATES JOHN W. GARDNER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

" ATEnTrQjro-E.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM AND AIR CAR-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,884, dated January `23,

Towhom it may concern:

Beit known that I, J oHN W. GARDNER, of Cleveland, county or' Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improveforce off77 railroad car brakes; second, a fourway cock, in combination with an air or steam car-brake, by turning` which in one direction, those pipes are placed in communication, through which the air or steam flows to set 7 the brakes; and by turning which in an opposite direction those pipes are placed in communication, through which air or steam flows to force off77 the brakes. By turning the cock one way four ports are opened-by turning it a reverse way, four ports are closed simultaneously.

My invention is an improvement on the Goodale steam-brake, and particularly on the Westinghouse compressed-air brake for railroad-cars. In the former patent there is a three-way cock, operated by a lever immediately at the hand of the engineer, whereby steam from the boiler of the locomotive is applied to all the brakes of the train, but which to escape must return to the locomotive. In the latter patent, there is also a three-way cock, by turning which in one direction a one-quarter turn two ports only are opened for the application or admission of compressed air to the brakes of the train 5 and by turning which in a reverse direction a one-quarter turn, the com'- pressed air which holds the brakes set is allowed to escape by its elasticity, tand the aid of a spiral spring at each brake,) into the natural atmosphere, after this air has returned to the locomotive. It will thus be seen that the distinguishing feature between t-he two inventions cited, is the employment in one of steam and in the otherl of air to set the brakes. But the two inventions are alike in this respect, that they both use the same general1A machinery, and are to all appearance of the same general construction.

Referring to the drawing annexed to and forming a part of this speciiication, Figure I represents a plan view; Fig. II, a sectional elevation, through the line .t a', Fig. I; Fig. III, an elevation of the four-way cock and cylinder; Fig. IV, a sectional elevation of valves; and Fig. V, a longitudinal section of valves, showing four different outlets and the 'valvestem.

A represents the foot-board of a locomotive; B the reservoir for holdin g compressed air; C the four-way cock; and I), a common cylinder or piston, into which is let either steam or compressed air, both to set and to force oi"7 the car-brakes. This cylinder is placed under the tender and cars of the train, but for convenience of illustration and explanation, it is shown in the drawing' above the foot-board. The setting of the brakes in this invention is accomplished in the same way as it is done in the inventions oi' Goodale andVestinghouse, and for that purpose the apparatus employs the same general machinery, the airreservoir, connection-pipes, and cylinders and pistons which operate thebrakes. The compressed ai r passes from the reservoir B through a pipe, E, and the four-Way cock C, and thence through another pipe F into the cylinder D, (of ordinary construction,) where the air works a piston-head, G, outward, and thus applies power to the brake-levers H H, which set the brakes to the car-wheels. But when steam is used, the general machinery being the same, of course there is a connectioi'l-pipe between the four-way cock and the boiler, not shown. In cold weather steam is impracticable, as it is dicult to protect the pipes and cylinders from freezing; but as steam is far preferable when there is no cold weather to interfere, this apparatus is so constructed that steam may be used at pleasure by simply disconnecting the pipe E from the reservoir and connecting it to the boiler. rIhe main feature of this invention, or the improvement upon the patents of Goodale and Westinghouse-namely, the use either of steam or compressed air both to set 7 and to force off car-brakes-will now be fully set forth. Supposing that the brakes have been set,77 and are in that position when the engineer desires to start the train, he turns the fourway cock a one-quarter turn in a reverse direction, (to the Way in which he turned it when he set the brakes,) the air or steam owing through 

